Former MLB star, Otis Nixon coming to Wilmington

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) - Retired Major League Baseball player Otis Nixon will be the keynote speaker at Coastal Horizon's annual fundraising luncheon in March.

The former Atlanta Braves star will talk about his decades-long battle with drug addiction.

Coastal Horizons Center providescomprehensive substance abuse and mental health services to individuals and their families in Southeastern North Carolina.

Nixon grew up playing baseball in Columbus County and went on to play professional baseball for 17 years.

During much of his career, Nixon battled a cocaine habit. He was arrested on drug charges in 1987 while a member of the Cleveland Indians organization. He failed a drug test in 1991 which caused Nixon to miss the 1991 World Series.

Nixon shares the single game stolen base Major League record with six. He also holds the Atlanta Braves single season record for stolen bases with 72.

Nixon retired from Major League Baseball while playing with the Minnesota Twins, but is perhaps best remembered for his playing days with the Atlanta Braves. He also played with the New York Yankees, the Cleveland Indians, the Montreal Expos, the Boston Red Sox, the Texas Rangers, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Coastal Horizon's annual fundraising luncheon will be held Friday, March 2 at 11:30 a.m. at the UNCW Warwick Center.

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